Film star Warwick hits new heights

He may be a film star but Life's Too Short actor Warwick Davis is keen to make his mark on stage as an actor and producer. He comes to the Midlands with his company's first touring show. Catherine Vonledebur chats to him

Warwick Davis and fellow members of the Reduced Height Theatre Company prepare to unleash new play See How They Run

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He's been in Star Wars, Harry Potter, Dr Who, An Idiot Abroad 3 and Life’s Too Short, but never a stage play.

So last year Warwick Davis set up The Reduced Height Theatre Company, a cast of nine actors under 4ft tall – including himself.

This month the company embarks on its first ever UK tour with Philip King’s hit farce See How They Run.

It is Warwick’s first venture as actor and producer.

The 44-year-old Willow star, who is currently in Leeds filming festive comedy Get Santa with Jim Broadbent, says: “The formation of The Reduced Height Theatre Company is a dream realised for me.

“As a short actor, I am not always afforded the same professional opportunities as my taller colleagues.

“This new venture will tip the balance in favour of myself and the other talented short actors in the UK.

“I’ve worked in film, TV and pantomimes but I have never been offered the opportunity to be in a play. I thought the only way I will get to do it is if I produce it myself.

“I am enjoying the performance side of it but learning a lot of lessons as a producer – I am going over-budget on everything.”

See How They Run is set in a vicarage in the village of Merton-cum-Middlewick in 1944. It’s a quintessentially British family play with vicars and several cases of mistaken identity. A plot of mishaps spirals out of control, culminating in a houseful of bishops, deacons and other assorted clergymen.

After opening in Bromley it comes to The Belgrade Theatre in Coventry from March 3 until March 8.

The talented cast of short actors includes John Key, Rachel Denning and Ray Griffiths, who all appeared in the observational comedy Life’s Too Short on BBC 2 in 2011, starring Warwick as a fictional version of himself and written by Ricky Gervais and Stephen Merchant.

The father-of-two says: “A lot of short actors have trained at drama schools but never get the chance to shine or be challenged.

“The cast are all absolutely fabulous and put in such effort and want prove themselves.

“They are finally getting the chance to do something with validity.

“A number of them are friends from years and years. We have done projects together. A few I have only met recently.

“Everyone is gelling together brilliantly.

“My original idea was to do a mystery play or The Importance of Being Earnest.

“But I love this genre – it’s also very challenging. I took a chance.

“See How They Run is a very well-written, funny farce.

“There’s nothing subtle about it. It’s also extremely fast-paced and there are some very chaotic scenes.

“From an audience’s point of view it’s a really fun play – so well-conceived.

“I am hoping the company will go on to produce other plays as well as this one.”

His actor wife Sam, who played his girlfriend in Life’s Too Short, is not in the cast.

“The challenge is, as we have two children – Annabel and Harrison – trying to maintain a sense of normality.

“She is managing my life and managing to get the kids to school,” Warwick explains.

“Annabel is doing A levels. She also wants to be an actor. We’ve explained to her that acting is not easy. You need a back-up plan.

“We said to her: ‘take your studies now then decide if that’s what you want to do’.

“Harrison wants to be a traffic cop – he has no desire to be an actor.”

When he was 11, Warwick was cast as Wicket the Ewok in Star Wars and paid £60 a day. He returned to play three characters in Star Wars Episode I: The Phantom Menace.

“My children practically grew up on the Star Wars set,” he says. They also appeared alongside him in the final Harry Potter movie.

Out of the impressive mix of family-friendly blockbuster movies the 3ft 6ins tall film star has starred in – from Star Wars to Labryinth, Willow to The Chronicles of Narnia: Prince Caspian – he says his children were most dazzled by his performances on Dr Who and BBC 2’s Top Gear.

“Doing my lap on Top Gear was great fun and the kids really liked it,” he says.

In the Harry Potter film franchise the actor played two roles – charms master Professor Filius Flitwick and the goblin Griphook.

He does not quite know what to make of JK Rowling’s regrets over having Hermione marry Ron at the end of her seven-novel cycle – not Harry. “It’s interesting when you create a piece of art and want to go back and change it,” he says.

In 2006 Ricky Gervais and Stephen Merchant invited him to do a cameo in Extras. Warwick approached the comedy pair with his idea for Life’s Too Short. They liked it so much they teamed up to make it.

Over the course of seven episodes Warwick was plunged into a toilet by Johnny Depp, made to stand in a bin by a repulsed Helena Bonham Carter, encased in a teddy-bear costume and been stuck in a dog flap.

Liam Neeson, Sting and Warwick’s Willow co-star Val Kilmer also had cameos in the series and a one-off special.

Warwick says: “I know Liam from Star Wars.

“He’s just brilliant. With Johnny you didn’t know what was going to happen next and Helena, I knew from Harry Potter. It was lovely she agreed to do it.

“People are keen to send themselves up and work with Ricky.”

The show divided critics and audiences.

“You expect you are making something a little ground-breaking. It’s a slow burner.

“I am more than happy with the response,” he says.

On the back of Life’s Too Short Warwick featured in An Idiot Abroad 3, another Gervais/Merchant production starring Karl Pilkington. And he has not ruled out future episodes or one-off specials.

“We could revisit Warwick in a few years and see what he has been up to,” he says.

Outside of acting Warwick is one of the few film stars to have created his own top-rated app.

Looking after your very own ‘Pocket Warwick’ involves sending him out to film auditions, charity events and personal appearances.

“I came up with the idea of Pocket Warwick because I love technology and apps.

“Pocket Warwick is kind of a fusion of the old 90s electronic pets Tamgotchi, The Sims and me. I’m really proud,” he adds.

As well as Get Santa, which is due to be released at Christmas, Warwick has a couple of exciting TV projects in the pipeline but is remaining tight-lipped about the plans.